Our guest post comes from Caleb Anderson, of Top Dog Retrievers in Red Bluff, California. Caleb has been training working dogs for over 15 years. His dog training career started with the training and competition of hunt test retrievers. This quickly led to the training of other working dogs including Search and Rescue, cadaver and scent detection dogs. Caleb now oversees the training at Top Dog Retrievers where he trains dogs for everything from basic obedience to diabetic alert, autism, therapy, and competition field dogs.

Upset stomach and loose stools in canines can be caused by a number of things. However as those of us with service dogs and working dogs know, there isn’t always time for frequent potty breaks and messy clean ups.

Service dogs must perform regardless of outside stress, and of course, if you’re training your own service dog, intentionally putting he or she into stressful situation is part of the job.

Luckily there are a few thing you can do. First identify, if possible, the situations that cause your canine enough stress or excitement to cause an upset stomach. Then take a proactive approach.

For example, if you’re going to the airport and you know this is a place of stress or excitement as it was for one of my dogs, start with a special breakfast. What I offered my excitable boy was mashed sweet potatoes and a chaser of probiotics.

Sweet potatoes are a natural stool hardener and probiotics just boost the natural digestion. A change in diet will almost always result in loose stools, however if you get caught without your dog’s normal food there are two things you can do to make the switch as painless as possible.

First, make sure whatever food you pick, that a substitute has the same protein source (e.g. chicken, lamb, etc.) Next, pick up the substitute food at a farm/feed store so you can pick up a tube of probiotics to go with the new food. (the more digestive enzymes to help break down that new food the better)

The feed store won’t have probiotics labeled for dogs but the goat or horse probiotics work just as well. As a matter of fact, the cattle industry has been using probiotics much longer than dogs or even people.

Because we don’t always know when these events are going to happen, we find ourselves in a reactive situation. In this event you have a few options. If you can remove your canine from the situation and return home, it’s best to feed a bland diet of cooked rice and canned pumpkin (fiber in the pumpkin helps absorb extra fluid). Low fat yogurt or cottage cheese can also ease a troubled stomach.

If you need a quick fix, Pepto Bismol works great for me. Pepto is not made for dogs and over use can be harmful so I only use it if I NEED it. I use a dose of 2.5cc (1/2 tsp) per 10 pounds of body weight. For example, my 60 lb dog gets 15cc (3 tsp) dose as needed or to the desired effect. Pepto is sometimes the only fix for those days your dog simply must perform.

Think PAWSITIVE!

All of their handmade, in Maine, products are amazing and they have wonderful items for people who travel with their dogs.

I love their Treat and Train Bag. It holds about a cup full of food, snacks or training treats in a nice little lined and fully waterproof bag. The top has a cord and lockable toggle that cinches it closed which means no treats dropped on the ground. I love this.

If you do use messy, gooey, stinky or moist treats like some of us, it’s fully washable as well.

The pouch is easily hung with the included carabiner clip to a backpack, purse, fanny pack, belt or belt loop.

It’s ultra lightweight but exceptionally well made. Of course, it’s made in the USA; how refreshing!

It comes in red, yellow, purple or two shades of blue and is priced right at $15.00.

Spurr’s Corner Handcraft offers other great dog accessories for folks who train or travel with their dogs, in their Two Dogs Apparel, line of handmade goods.

(This product review was made possible by Spurr’s Corner Handcraft. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample(s) provided. All opinions are entirely my own. )

Think PAWSITIVE!

While many organizations charge more than $15,000 to acquire a service dog, this can prove to be a hefty deduction.

When you add up the estimated $1000 or so, per year just for upkeep of a service animal, this can be a great deduction also.

Here is what the IRS says in their 2011 Medical and Dental Expenses Publication 502:

Guide Dog or Other Service Animal—
You can include in medical expenses the costs of buying, training, and maintaining a guide dog or other service animal to assist a visually impaired or hearing-impaired person, or a person with other physical disabilities. This includes any costs, such as food, grooming, and veterinary care, incurred in maintaining the health and vitality of the service animal so that it may perform its duties.

To read exactly what the IRS has to say about service dogs, you can visit their website HERE

Pawsitive Service Dog Solutions does not offer legal or tax advice; please consult with your professional tax preparer, CPA, or the IRS.

Think PAWSITIVE!

photo courtesy of Wendy Drinkwater

Our guest post comes from Wendy Drinkwater, a mother of two boys, one with Autism and one with PDD-NOS. Wendy was born in Kansas and raised in San Diego and Northern Virginia.  She currently resides in Oakland, Maine with her husband Tom, her two sons Aiden and Cedric, her mother Lisa and their herd of five indoor cats and three Labrador Retrievers.    

• What is an Autism Service Dog?

Due to the unique nature of Autism, the term ‘Autism Service Dog’ can have many definitions. Based on my experience, this is my definition: An Autism Service Dog is a service animal trained to work with individuals with autism and have skills tailored to meet the specific needs for each individual. Among other tasks, the Autism Service dog can be trained to assist or intervene in Overstimulation, Tantrums, Self Stimulation, Self Harming, Disorientation, Poor Balance, Motor Control, Visual Processing and Auditory Processing. This highly specialized service dog enables the individual to gain independence, confidence and to be able to perform normal everyday activities.

• What are the Benefits of Owning an Autism Service Dog?

There are so many things I could list but each benefit is different for each individual. First off, dogs make a difference just by being a dog. They play games, give kisses, teach responsibilities and create a wonderful bond. Dogs bring these wonderful attributes to the table naturally and it’s hard to imagine a more perfect foundation to start off with. It’s very important to retain the natural canine abilities while fine tuning the necessary public access tasks.

We have 2 sons, one 8 years old diagnosed with Autism and the other 5 years old with PDD-NOS. Our boys have Loula & Bear, The Service Pups. Bear and Loula, siblings that were selected for their calm temperament and trainability started making a difference in the boy’s lives early on during the puppies whelping period. The boys immediately started talking a lot more and mostly about their new dogs. We encouraged the boys to help with training and give commands as we saw that it helped encourage their verbal communication.

Now that the pups are older and go everywhere with the boys they are conversation starters which help with their social skills. Now we are training the pups how to “shake” and teach the boys about proper greetings when they meet new people.

The service pups give the boys confidence in public places. Our oldest who is speech delayed is ashamed to talk to people outside of the family because no one understands him. With Bear by his side he finds the confidence to say “Hi, my name is Cedric, this is Bear.” A few weeks ago Cedric, with Bear present, placed his first order at his favorite bakery! We consider that a major developmental milestone.

Visual and auditory stimulation can wreak havoc on the autistic child’s nervous system. Our youngest son, Aiden, panics in public restrooms. The ultra bright fluorescent lights and sharp noises that echo throughout drive Aiden to hysterics. In addition to crying and holding his hands over his ears, Aiden has gone so far as to hyperventilate during one of these episodes. When Loula is tethered to him, Aiden hugs her tightly and bravely uses the public restroom with considerably less trouble.

One problematic stereotypical autistic behavior is repetitive or hard and fast routines that can dominate a person’s life. Our boys can get stuck in routines so badly that any interruption from a person can trigger a meltdown. It is a completely different story though when a dog interrupts… Anyone that owns a dog will tell you that their furry little friends tend to interrupt their master’s routines all day long. Asking to go outside, dropping a ball at your feet for a little catch or my personal favorite, the “feed me” look with those big pleading puppy dog eyes inject a little variety into our otherwise predictable day.

Bear and Loula do these things too but more importantly they have another whole repertoire of tricks that they use on their boys. If one of the kids is stimming they will probably get gently bumped or tail wacked and let me tell you, Loula’s tale would knock you out of a coma. If one of the kids is over stimulated their dog may hop into that boys lap and help calm them down before it escalates into self injury.

Our oldest son displays Self Injurious Behaviors or SIB, so we use Bear to redirect the behavior. Bear is not trained to identify and interrupt specific behaviors yet, so we have Cedric scratch Bears back instead of scratching his own head or arms and legs. Bear likes this a lot and it keeps Cedric’s hands busy while he cools down and waits for his scratching urge to pass.

As you may know through experience or research, many autistic children have a hard time transitioning from one activity to another, especially from a preferred activity to a non – preferred activity. Loula & Bear are used to helping the boys with a positive smooth transition from one activity to another.

For example: Cedric is playing with a game for 5 minutes and then a timer goes off to notify him that it is time for his speech therapy session to start. Cedric refuses to transition to the non preferred activity by continuing to play the game. When prompted with a visual cue Cedric grunts and continues to refuse. This is where Bear comes in. Rather than completing the 3 step prompt by physically moving Cedric to the speech therapy area we start the session with Bear. We have Bear look for a card and prompt him to touch it and when he does we reinforce him with a treat and lots of praise. Cedric see’s how much fun Bear is having, comes over to join and models after Bear by picking the next card.

Physically forcing a child to comply isn’t usually effective during a scenario like this and if you go that route you will most likely trigger worse behaviors like aggression and tantrums. We have found that by using the service dogs for transitioning we can keep some episodes from escalating and running the risk of reinforcing even worse behaviors. If we didn’t have Bear we would have encouraged Cedric to bring the game with him to the speech session to help ease the transition but that doesn’t always work. Sometimes it’s a combination of tactics that wins the game in the end.

One particularly hard to teach subject has to do with human emotions. Luckily for us dogs are better at expressing emotions than we are. That is probably why we find it so easy to bond with dogs. Many people on the Autism Spectrum have a very hard time learning how to make friends. Loula & Bear teach the value of friendship. They teach the boys how to identify and express emotions like love and how to express it through affection. The Service Pups teach how to treat people gently and not hurt others. Loula & Bear also teach that you can have more fun when you share!

• Should I Purchase an Autism Service Dog for My child?

Owning any dog is a big responsibility. If owning a pet dog is like adopting a child then owning a service dog can be like adopting twins while going to college. There is a lifetime commitment to the dog and its training as well as your own development as the handler and care taker of the animal. You’ll need to be familiar with every part of the dog’s mental and physical anatomy so you can tell if your helper is getting stressed or is hiding an injury from the intense training. You’ll need to hone your handling skills to the point where you and the dog are speaking with your eyes and hands in addition to the many dozens of spoken commands you’ll learn together. You’ll need to condition yourself to be so reinforcing to the dog that your very wish is its command. In addition to all of this you’ll need to make sure your child’s service dog can do normal dog things and has a fulfilling canine existence as well. It may sound like a lot of work, and while it is, the benefits of the Autism Service Dog far outweigh the cost in time and money.

If you are interested in purchasing an Autism Service Dog for your child be sure to do your research and contact several service dog organizations! Talk to your family doctor and ask around to see if anyone in your immediate area has a therapy dog that can come to your house to meet your child. Research dog breeds and talk to other dog owners about breeds. There are many good reasons why Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are favored for service dog work but there are many other dogs just as well suited for the job. Other breeds worth looking into include the Portuguese Waterdog, Saint Bernard, German Sheppard and Boxer.

I chose to train our own dogs because we couldn’t find a reliable organization close by. This is definitely not the best way for everyone but I’m glad we did it. I’d only recommend this route if you have prior success with training dogs beyond basic obedience.

You can check out our videos and pictures on Loula & Bear’s facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Loula-Bear-The-Service-Pups/185395781485338

Or by looking in Google search: “Loula & Bear The Service Pups”

We even have a YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PatienceBurns

I will be posting more videos of:  The Service Pups training, how they help the kids and their bond with their kids.

Hope this article is helpful! Have a beautiful day!
Wendy & Tom

Proud Parents, training our sons’ Service Pups, Advocates for individuals with Autism and other Disabilities and Service Animals around the world.

Think PAWSITIVE!

Because people spend so much time with their service dogs this problem can sometimes be completely overlooked and since we want these faithful companions around for a very long time, we need to be vigilant in this area when it comes to prevention.

Overfeeding is a primary concern and cause for obesity in service dogs. Remember training treats and rewards of all kinds must be counted in your service dog’s overall daily caloric intake.

People such as friends, family, children, or caretakers could be feeding your dog unauthorized treats. Keep rules consistent with everyone involved.

Lack of exercise can contribute to canine obesity. Although most service dogs do get quite a bit of exercise with the day to day duties they perform, if the service dog or the handler have recently recovered from an illness or injury, this may interfere with the dog’s usual daily exercise.

As dogs age their caloric needs change as does their amount of exercise. Certain diseases, often brought on by aging may have an effect on a dog’s weight, so discuss these concerns with your veterinarian.

Proper nutrition is paramount to your service dog maintaining an ideal weight. Discuss with your veterinarian changing the food you provide your dog depending on the stage of his or her life. You may want to consider a grain free food, which may also help to keep your dog trim and free of certain grain based food allergies common to many dogs.

Keep your service dog healthy and at an ideal weight so he or she can continue to be your faithful companion for many healthy years.

Think PAWSITIVE!

This book follows the seemingly normal day of Michael Hingson and his guide dog Roselle as they arrive for work at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.  As the historically tragic day unfolds, the reader is along for the ride as Michael and Roselle narrowly escape death while evacuating the Twin Towers.

The dedication and heroism of Roselle is astounding throughout this “can’t-put-it-down” page turner.

The book is very educational as it uncovers the profound impact that Puppy Raisers and Trainers have on preparing a dog like Roselle for the work she did that day.

Woven throughout the story are vignettes regarding Michael’s life with service dogs and how they helped bring him to the point of that one unforgettable day with Roselle when our country changed forever.

Think PAWSITIVE!

And still many disabled individuals choose to acquire their own dog from a shelter or rescue organization and train it for service work themselves.

Whenever a purebred dog is not the case, it can be quite helpful to know a mixed breed dog’s genetic background and ancestry as certain traits and strengths can be uncovered. This can be helpful for training purposes and can offer insight into the dog’s behaviors, tendencies, and potential.

While no test is completely accurate and foolproof, DNA testing has come a long way in recent years in both accuracy and affordability with many do-it-yourself tests well under $100 with nearly 99% accuracy.

We tried Wisdom Panel’s Insights Test and were impressed with the results. By simply swabbing some cells from the inside of our dog’s cheek and sending them of to Wisdom Panel’s lab in the little identification kit they had sent us, we had results in about two weeks. An online report gave us our dog’s ancestry and breed information.

If you plan to train a mixed breed dog for service work, this information could be very helpful for planning your dog’s nutrition, exercise, activities, and training.  A lot of behavioral tendencies like barking, herding, pointing, retrieving, and digging can be determined from a look at your dog’s family tree.

Think PAWSITIVE!

Service Dog

With more and more people challenged by Autism, Diabetes, and countless other disabilities relying on the assistance of a service dog, it becomes very likely that the general public will need to learn basic etiquette towards a service dog on duty.

As tempting as it may be to reach out and pet or interact with a gorgeous and intelligent animal, this first impulse is generally not the correct one.

The best way to show our respect and admiration for a service dog is to embrace the simple fact that these selfless heroes have a job to do and a handler who is depending on them to do it.

A great many of the disabilities that require a service dog are not easily evident and since most disabled people don’t readily share their challenges with strangers, we need to consider some simple guidelines when encountering a service animal that needs to focus on their duties:

• Refrain from petting or addressing a service dog without first asking permission from the handler.
• Never feed a service dog treats or other food without the handler’s permission.
• Don’t honk or call out to a service dog.
• Abstain from asking personal questions about the handler’s disability.
• Give a dog team the right of way in stores and outside.
• Keep your pets or other animals under control around a service animal.
• Speak to the handler and not to the dog.

The Federal American’s with Disabilities Act allows service animals full public access to restaurants, malls, churches, movie theaters, buses, grocery stores, taxis, airplanes, and anywhere else the public goes.

Service dogs are invaluable to many disabled individuals. The safety and livelihood of these people depends on their service animal being able to perform its job and tasks. Do your part.

Think PAWSITIVE

Not only is the weather and extreme temperature a concern but de-icing agents used on walkways and streets can pose a threat if ingested by paw licking.

Here are a few precautions you can take to keep your service dog healthy and safe.

• Keep paws and nails clipped and groomed to minimize the clinging of salt and de-icing chemicals.
• After walks and when returning from outdoors, wash and wipe your service dog’s paws to remove chemicals and de-icing agents.
• Avoid over bathing your dog during harsh winter weather as repeated bathing eliminates essential skin and fur oils which can lead to stripping of the oils and dry and flaky skin issues.
• Consider a warmer more insulated service dog vest specifically for colder climate to keep your service dog more comfortable. Winter booties may be necessary in extreme weather and can help minimize irritation and accumulation of salts and chemicals between the dog’s toes.
• Service dogs work hard and they require extra energy during extreme cold temperatures. Provide extra food and water during this time to meet the additional needs.
• Use common sense. If the weather is uncomfortably cold or harsh for you, then it is also the same for your service dog.

With a little extra thought and planning you can enjoy winter weather with your service dog for many years to come.

Think PAWSITIVE!

Executive Director Carmel Mooney enjoys one of the service dog puppies in training

I’m Carmel L. Mooney, Executive Director here at Pawsitive Service Dog Solutions. We’re glad you decided to join us here at our Pawsitive Service Dog Solutions “Service Dog Blog.”

Our vision for this service dog blog is to share information, insight, and education into the exciting world of service dogs.

Whether you’ve had a service dog before, have one now, or are considering obtaining or training one in the future, we hope to inspire, entertain, and inform you along your journey.

We’ll be interviewing experts in dog training, and veterinary medicine. We will be reviewing products for service dogs and for dogs in general, as well.

We’ll have videos offering training tips, behavior modification, and education.

You’ll even find book reviews and interesting and inspiring dog travel articles and stories.

And since we train service dogs for disabled individuals challenged with Autism Spectrum Disorders, we’ll have fun stories and pictures of our puppies and dogs-in-training, to make you smile.

That’s right; this blog will attempt to cover “everything dog” and more specifically, “everything service dog.”

It’s going to be PAWsome interacting with other like-minded folks all on similar journeys with their service dogs. We hope you join us each week and we look forward to your comments and suggestions.

Think PAWSITIVE!